


It's because we're second years now

by anemoarchon



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Angst, Mutual Pining, bolded words are tsukasa speaking in english, set in enstars!!, tori does not know how to deal with his feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:34:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27835339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anemoarchon/pseuds/anemoarchon
Summary: Maybe it wasn’t him who was embarrassed, it was Tori who had stuck the wedge between them, his pride more important than his blossoming feelings for his once long rival. How dare he be so endearing? With his light laugh, his blissful pronunciation of words Tori could not understand, how when he was nervous he would tuck strands of cherry red hair behind his rose tinted ears. There was a time when Tori had hated the boy, when they were children, when they were first years-“After all, you’re a second year now Tori.” He had said with a light smile, a whisper falling from his lips. “Things change.”
Relationships: Himemiya Touri/Suou Tsukasa
Comments: 7
Kudos: 20





	It's because we're second years now

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, this is my first time writing a fanfic for Ensemble Stars and I noticed my favorite ship tag was looking a bit dry. Apologies if there are formatting errors it is 2 am and I will fix them later. Enjoy!

It was late in the afternoon, the weak, waning rays of sunlight hitting the window of the student council room. The curtains had been drawn back hours earlier to let the warm midday light shine through, allowing the lights to remain off, giving the room a natural aura. But as the hours ticked by and the light began to deplete, Tori opted to jolt up from his paperwork with a yawn, flicking one of the lamps on with haste. The vice president gave a long sigh, emerald eyes darting back and forth across the stacks of paper he still had to fill out. Jeez, what an annoyance, he thought to himself as he picked up a pen once more, half heartedly picking up the next sheet of paper when-  
The door suddenly swung open, earning a surprised yelp from the second year.  
Mao Isara stood in the doorframe, his arms crossed, a look of indifference painted across his face. His hands were tucked under his armpits, yet Tori could still see a sheet of paper sticking out from beneath. 

“You haven’t finished yet?” Mao’s voice held no malice, it was poised as a question, yet his words made Tori’s skin crawl. He had been tasked with finishing the student council’s paper work for the week, and had been given plenty of time since the final bell, signaling the school days end, had rang. Yet the stack of work on the vice president's desk was still ample, and the setting sun was telling him he was running out of time.   
Tori wanted to ignore him, to roll his eyes and stick his tongue out playfully, but he knew that would only end in a lecture on Isara’s half. So he simply gave a tired sigh, looking up at Mao with a glare.   
“I was working dutifully until YOU interrupted me! Don’t you know not to bother others when they are busy? You didn’t even knock!” Even when Tori opted to go the nicer route, his words could still sting if presented to the right people. However, everyone important at Yumenosaki already knew Tori’s childish antics and rude behavior were nothing to be afraid of.   
The student council president didn’t flinch, instead he gave a tired laugh, his green eyes sparkling softly in the fading light.

“Rough day, Himemiya?”

“What gave that away Isara-senpai?” Tori huffed, annoyed at how Mao saw through him as if he were transparent. 

“Well usually you’ve been trying to be more kind recently, after all you’re a second year now.” He gave a teasing smile, a small scowl lining Tori’s face in response. “Second of all, you usually work so dutifully, and here you are on a Friday evening overworking yourself late into the night. I almost expected you to be finished by 4.” He tapped his watch, the hands showing it was nearing 6:30.  
Tori gave a long sigh, capping his pen for a moment, setting it down on the hardwood with a clack.   
Mao approached the desk, his hands falling to his side so now Tori, who was craning his neck, could clearly see what was in his hand. It was a form of some sort, a bright blue sticky note pinned to the top with a paperclip.   
“Himemiya, if you would like, you can finish this on Monday, i’ll give any future work to someone else so you can get this completed.” A pause. 

“However-”

Oh, of course.

“Isar-” Tori started, his eyebrows furrowing slightly at the fact he wasn’t going to get out of this that easily.

“Listen, Tori.” The smaller boy went quiet at the usage of his first name, chewing the corner of his lip to bite back something mean. “You can leave, however please give this a look before you go. File the paper away when you’re finished.” There was something in Mao’s eyes that unsettled Tori, a glint of sudden mischief dancing in the green. What was so special about this paper?   
Before he could open his mouth the sheet fluttered onto the desk, and Mao was already at the door, hand on the knob. 

“Have a good evening, Himemiya.”

And with that, the door shut, leaving Tori in a mixture of silence and confusion. 

He sat there for a moment, swinging his too short legs to a silent rhythm, shoes barely dusting the carpet. The paper sat on the desk, inviting. The bright blue of the note pinned to it drawing his attention in. Hastily, he snatched it up from the polished surface of the table, and-

“Blank??” he exclaimed to the silence of the room.

The sheet of paper in his hands was a clean slate, not a single printed word or drop of ink upon its smooth surface. This thoroughly perplexed Tori, what did Mao want him to do with this?  
That Isara! Angry thoughts began to bubble in his head, Stupid, wasting my time like this! With a huff he tossed the paper back upon the desk, the sticky note slipping off the paper clip, alerting Tori to the fact it was carelessly tacked on. 

Wait a minute.

The note had writing on it, careful clean ink in a beautiful handwriting. The letters were slightly curved, delicacy and precision had gone into each stroke. It bore no signature, but its contents were intriguing.

Meet me by the fountain at 7. Don’t be late, **friend**.

Despite the lack of signature, Tori’s heart sank. It was obvious who had sent this, and the young boy just wanted to know why he couldn’t have just given it to him himself. Why did he have to send Mao to him like the student council president was some sort of errand boy? Though maybe he was embarrassed, despite the choice of vocabulary in the note, the two weren’t exactly friends. Sure, recently they had been getting along better, their childish rivalry ending what seemed eons ago. The last time they had hung out, Tori had blushed slightly at his words, his heart fluttering in his chest as their hands ghosted one another-

That had been a month ago, and they haven’t spoken since.

Maybe it wasn’t him who was embarrassed, it was Tori who had stuck the wedge between them, his pride more important than his blossoming feelings for his once long rival. How dare he be so endearing? With his light laugh, his blissful pronunciation of words Tori could not understand, how when he was nervous he would tuck strands of cherry red hair behind his rose tinted ears. There was a time when Tori had hated the boy, when they were children, when they were first years-

“After all, you’re a second year now Tori.” He had said with a light smile, a whisper falling from his lips. “Things change.”

He didn’t want to believe it.

Yet he found himself leaving the room at 6:55, not to go home, but to make his way over to the fountain, where Tsukasa Suou sat poised at its edge, cross legged but otherwise proper.

“Tsukasa.”  
“Tori-kun” There was a ghost of a smile on his face, his lavender eyes glinting something warm in the evening light.

“What did you need Suou?” Tori almost cringed at his own bluntness.

“We haven’t spoken in a long time, no? Forgive me, it is hard being a unit **leader** and managing my social life, although that is hardly an **excuse**.” He gestured wordlessly for Tori to sit next to him by patting the stone of the fountain. Stiffly Tori obliged, setting his bag down, making sure to keep some distance between him and his longtime acquaintance.

“How is Fine?” He asked when Tori did not answer his first question, tilting his head to look down at the smaller boy, his smile faded yet still apparent on his soft looking lips.  
Tori cursed at himself silently for noticing something like that.

“It’s been alright, we’re still the best idols in the world you know.” He scoffed, feigning false confidence with an exaggerated smirk. Tsukasa laughed at this, and Tori’s heart once again sank at the realization of how soft it was.

“How funny.” He mused with a light hum, “I had sworn Knights were the best **unit** in the world.” He put his hand on his chin, faking deep contemplation.

“Haaaah~ as if!” A childish grin on Tori’s face was melting their unresolved tension a little bit, the two finding themselves scooting closer to one another as they indulged in harmless small talk, their laughs intermingling with one another as they unwound, becoming loose. 

“Tori-kun.” Tsukasa had stopped the conversation abruptly, turning his gaze serious.

“Hmmmmm?” Tori paled when he noticed their closeness, and the cold in Tsukasa’s eyes sending a bonus tremor up his spine.

“We need to talk, I apologize for derailing our conversation so much. I had initially summoned you here for a reason.” 

Tori surprisingly stayed silent.

“There is something amiss between us. I noticed you have been avoiding me. Why is that? I had begun to think we were getting on better terms now that we are older, wiser. Second years now…..” His voice trailed off, sounding almost somber as his serious tone began to crack.

“....”

“Did something happen during our last meeting? Did I do something? I had been so preoccupied with **leading** Knights that initially I never noticed. But recently I had begun to realize that it had been a month since I had last heard your incessant whining…” he paused here, chuckling quietly to himself, “....it is bothering me if I can be **honest** with you Tori-kun. I do not want our friendship to go back to endless squabbling, you were my headache for long enough.” 

Tori sat still, eyes forward, not looking in Tsukasa’s direction. His words were burning a hole deep into him. Threatening to let his emotions spill right out of him. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid Tsukasa. It was Tori’s own petty fault he was making his friend worry so much, making him actively seek him out to resolve something uncomfortable building between the two of them.

And it was all because of Tori Himemiya’s utterly stupid crush on Tsukasa Suou. 

Tsukasa looked at him expectantly, his eyes narrowing, filling with something (if Tori were paying more attention) he could pick out as regret. The silence was becoming unbearable, yet stubbornness coiled around Tori’s throat like a snake, words failing him.

“I apologize Tori-kun. I wish I knew what I did, but I can tell this is bringing you discomfort.” The taller boy stood up, reaching for his bag to leave when-

“Suou…..er..Tsukasa. Wait!” Tori jumped up soon after him, his heart taking control over his body, emotions flaring into adrenaline. “Please.”

Tsukasa froze, dropping his bag back onto the floor.

“Tsukasa, I….I….well I have been avoiding you! G-glad you were finally able to pick up on that..b-but I had my reasons!” Tori would’ve almost sounded cold if a nervous stutter didn’t leak through the harshness. 

“And those reasons, if I may ask?” 

“J-jeez Tsukasa, so blunt, always making me say things!” Tori stammered, trying to force a smirk on his face to control the rose overtaking his pale skin. “Well, I’ve been avoiding you because! Because….” 

“Because?”

“Because, I, Tori Himemiya, eldest child and heir of the Himemiya household…… I….”

Tori sighed, dropping his haughty act.

“....I like you Tsukasa, like, I LIKE you.” Tori’s head dipped to the ground, the rose burning a bright red upon his cheeks. “I….I have a crush on you stupid.” 

“Oh.” 

The singular word was sharper than a dagger, piercing into Tori’s heart with enough force to make tears prick in the corners of his eyes. His heart was hammering too hard in his chest, brimming with embarrassment, to have heard the redhead move closer, hands wrapping around Tori’s shoulders.

“Tsukasa….?” Tori looked up, the tears threatening to spill out of embarrassment at the possibility he was going to be rejected by someone, just after they had confessed to the fact they had felt like they had wronged Tori in some way. All of this distance, over the fact Tori was almost too ashamed to have fallen for his lifelong rival. 

Surprisingly, Tsukasa was smiling, a blush dusted across his nose and cheeks. He looked so angelic in the sunset, and Tori had forgotten all about the tears as a soft squeak escaped his lips when the taller boy thumbed them away.

“You’ve never been this bad with your feelings Tori-kun. You’re usually so outspoken. This is a first you know, hiding your **feelings** for me by acting so childishly.” Tsukasa’s words may have normally scratched at Tori’s skin, but the warmth of his voice melted the blunt edge of them into something sweet. 

“It took you awhile to notice….”

“Yes, but only because I was rather busy mulling over my useless crush for a pink haired boy who is normally so detestable.” It was Tsukasa’s turn to smirk, at how easily his confession slipped out of his mouth as opposed to Tori’s game of avoidance and messy stammering.

“That was an awful confession…..stupid.” Tori laughed, maybe a bit too loudly. 

“Call me stupid again and you are going to have a consequence Himemiya, that is not how you react to someone confessing to you, no? Who taught you your manners?” There was mischief in Tsukasa’s eyes, akin to Mao’s earlier. Yet this was different. Isara-senpai got on his nerves, this, this was different.

“Ok stuuuupi-mmph!” 

Something warm had pressed against his lips, soft and both equally forceful and gentle. It took a moment to register that Tsukasa was kissing him. Tori felt rooted in his spot, his mouth opening against the taller boys to let a surprised gasp out. Tsukasa smiled into this, gently pulling Tori closer to him. The smaller boy reciprocated by looping his hands around Tsukasa’s neck, allowing for the taller one to slip arms around his waist. They stayed like that for a couple more moments, the kiss getting deeper, intensity increasing as Tori smiled against his lips. Eventually they had to pull apart for air, both gasping, wide smiles painted on both their faces.

“Tsukasaaaaa, you’re not a bad kisser you know.” Tori teased him, letting go of his neck to break away from their embrace with a bounce.

“You were a bit stiff at first, but practice makes perfect you know, just like idols.” Tsukasa mused in response, his blush not threatening to leave his pale face.

“You’re seriously comparing that to idol work?” 

“It’s a fitting analogy no? It works especially well when you realize I love both, Tori-kun.” Tsukasa picked his bag up, pulling his phone out and narrowing his eyes at the time. “Ah, sadly I think we don’t have much time left, I am supposed to be meeting family for dinner.” He sighed, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

“H-hey wait a minute! You’re just leaving like that? Not going to give me time to register what just came out of that stupid mouth of yours?” Tori pouted, crossing his arms childishly, lightly stomping his foot for added emphasis. 

“Well, you need to learn how to close distance on your own Tori-kun. Calling you out after a month was a last resort you know.” Tsukasa turned to leave, strides quick. He was almost out the school gate when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him back a step. 

Tsukasa smiled.

“I-I’ll text you later Tsukasa, ok? I promise I….I won’t keep pursuing this childish game. We’re second years now, we’re older.”

“Of course Tori-kun, I’ll be awaiting your **message.** ”

“You don’t have to be so formal with me you know, especially since we-”

“My apologies, I’ll be going now. I love you, Tori.”

Tori watched him walk away, a spring in his step that wasn’t there previously, Tsukasa was almost out of range when Tori mumbled.

“I love you too.”


End file.
